'Super awesome' 24-year-old outfielder of the U.S. National University signs Lee Jung-hoo level contract! 172.3 billion won guaranteed 'money cushion' → 'first FA' at the age of 31

*This content was translated by AI.

Pete Crow-Armstrong (24, PCA), a "genius outfielder" of the Chicago Cubs in the Major League Baseball, received an all-time gift on his 24th birthday. It is the largest contract to extend a prospect in the club's history, and it hit a "jackpot" on conditions that are overwhelmingly favorable to players. He signed a large contract similar to Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants).

Local U.S. sources, including Jeff Bankrupt, a U.S. sports media outlet ESPN, said on the 25th (Korea time) that the Chicago Cubs agreed to an extension contract worth $115 million (about 172.3 billion won) for six years with the PCA.

The deal is very similar in size to San Francisco Giants' Lee Jung-hoo's six-year, $113 million contract. Given that both players are irreplaceable outfield resources within the team and young blood in their 20s with three beats of ball, water, and main, PCA's contract is also considered a "Lee Jung-hoo treatment." The PCA received exactly 2 million dollars (about 3 billion won) more.

The most eye-catching part is that the club option (club rights) was not included for only a year. Usually, when a big market club such as the Cubs sign a long-term contract with a young player, it is common to put in a club option of one to two years to secure service time.

However, the PCA has been fully guaranteed its status from 2027 to 2032, and will immediately re-acquire free agent status immediately after the 31-year-old season when the contract ends. From a player's point of view, he has laid the best foothold to pursue a "super-large FA contract" once again at his prime age.

PCA hit .247 with 31 homers, 35 steals, and 95 RBIs in 157 games in the 2025 season, joining the "30-30 Club" two years after its major league debut. In addition, he has emerged as the best next-generation star in MLB in name and reality, winning the Gold Glove in the National League center field in recognition of the league's top defense. He is evaluated as a hot hitter outfielder who is good at both home runs and stolen bases. He played for the U.S. in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), which ended with Venezuela's recent victory, and posted a batting average of 0.263 (5 hits in 19 at-bats) with two homers and six RBIs in six games (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 0.965.

According to ESPN and others, the Cubs sent infinite trust in the PCA, saying, "Our goal was to keep young and talented players at the core of our franchise for a long time." In particular, as the announcement was delivered on the day of his 24th birthday, Chicago fans are getting more excited to celebrate.

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*This content was translated by AI.